“You do have to deal with that homophobia and mother blaming a lot,” Roberts said.

Roberts’ tenacity and determination to help her daughter eventually resulted in doctors discovering an underlying genetic condition causing Saveeta’s health issues, which taught her a valuable lesson.

“Nobody cared about my kid as much as I did, not the paid professionals. Nobody was going to push and investigate and be there day in and day out,” Roberts said.

“I didn’t have much energy left to stand up, I was using all the energy in my fight to help Saveeta.”

Jenne Roberts (with her daughter Saveeta) after winning the NT Mother of the Year Award. (Supplied photo)

Roberts has been fighting for Saveeta since before her birth. Twenty years ago when Roberts decided to become a mother, she faced a number of “legal battles to access fertility” and had to leave the Northern Territory.

“I didn’t know other lesbians who had kids. It was just a challenge to get pregnant and become a mum,” she said.

Barnardos Australia — a leading child protection charity — hosts the annual BMOTY event and its director of marketing Manisha Amin wanted people to put their thinking caps on to nominate a great mother they may know.

“[The Roberts] touched our hearts for a number of reasons. Firstly, because her daughter nominated her and we saw a mother that dealt with a challenge in a pragmatic way,” Amin said.

About the AuthorShannon Power

Shannon is Star Observer's senior journalist covering NSW and national news. Originally from Melbourne, she has lived and worked across Cape York and far north Queensland reporting on issues important to remote Australia. In her spare time she's a RuPaul's Drag Race fanatic and a Carlton Blues tragic. She tweets @shannonjpower